 
Sign in to create or edit a product review. Writing this review immediatly after playing this scenario. Wall of text incoming. spoilers are unmarked. The Core premise is great, we get to go back to Pholskar because we did well last time, but it seems that the development team really wants to push this plot in a certain direction. I will admit that I am completely biased, because I am playing a power armor character.
This makes the second point harsher. The selection of power armor is very limited when it comes to movement types, swim speed power armor is limited to choices at sub 7 and 14 or higher. Making it very unlikely that you have such armor coming into this scenario.
My third point once again comes from this viewpoint, my GM was kind enough to not do so. But running this Raw has 4 fortitude saves per round to not have any battery or charge focused equipment break, including power armor. No blurb incase it is hybrid armor, no ability to protect yourself in any way. This is awful design. Almost as the Solonoid worms in season 3. Even worse, they are resistant to piercing damage, you know THE ONE THING THAT WORKS UNDERWATER?!
I feel punished for using tech in a SPACE OPERA RPG game! Not even the year of the data scourge was this harsh! Issue 4,
The Final Vehicle chase should be fun, but it isn't, it relies completely on the pilot. Passengers have nothing to do, NOTHING. No skill challenges to delay the monster, no room for clever thinking. Even taking potshots has no point because it is a high CR creature and is nearly unhittable at this level. Even worse, if the players decide to be honest, they seems to throw away massive benefits in the future. While the main NPC slightly redeems herself incase you follow her every whim. I simply did not enjoy this at all. There should be less dependance on the GM's to have sympathy for their players. Add a special item for this scenario only, have suggested bonuses for specific gear. Allow more player thinking, SOMETHING. I dislike this Scenario almost on principle.
The premise is great and allowing the players to have an easier time by doing the slightest bit of critical thinking is great. Also, appreciate the Macross references in this one, maybe some Legends of Galactic heroes for the next storyline? :) Your Dm is obliged to have 2 pages of dad puns ready. 
Starfinder Society Scenario #1-98: Into the Perplexity: The First TrialPaizo Inc.Our Price: Unavailable What's in the box?
Richter Harding
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Terrible Terrible damage, my body was not ready. The problem with this scenario cannot be addressed without spoilers, read at your own risk. the last encounter:
The last encounter is a CR 7 Incorporeal creature. Against a party of 3-4th level pc's who do not have the ability to damage it consistently. The only weapon in the game that does force damage is in an adventure path book and it only works for strength based characters. The ghost killer fusion is still out of sight for level 3 characters and not on the mind of level 4 ones.
And not every single party if coing to consist of two melee sponges and four technomancers with nothing but magic missles at the ready. It is not like pathfinder where magical weapons are an instant investment, and countermeasures against every single type of creature are abundant, due to an extensive library of single subject splatbooks. It is hard to hit because starfinder characters cannot boost their to hit reliably and even then, very little damage will go to its effective health pool of 250hp...against a party of 3-4th level pc's It hits extremely hard and has very hard to resist wisdom damage on its attacks, wich are basically an auto hit everything except a full ac focused Vesk vanguard fighting defensively. Oh and it can spend a resolve to massivly increase this wisdom damage. AND IT FLIES. The writer needs to understand that putting starfinder characters against apl+3 is extremely challenging of itself, adding incorporeal is just flipping a metaphorical bird. I apologize if some of the wording comes off as hateful, but it cannot be overestimated how much this scenario is a great of example of :
Edit : Correction to spoiler Great Ideas, execution needs work
Richter Harding
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Ultimate wilderness has had a lot of expectations behind it, sadly the Shifter does not deliver, the Shifter is easy to build and master but it is leagues behind the other classes in almost all departments. A melee Druid with 8 wisdom would do a better job at a melee shapeshifter than the Shifter itself. Hilariously, the best way to play a Shifter, is to not play a full Shifter. This is not to say that the Shifter is terrible, just very plainly average. The book shines like an Ivory tower, a public playtest would have helped with the numerous errors that this book has and the adjustments it needs, I hope this convinces Paizo to open a Public playtest the next time they release a new class. Ultimate Wilderness also contains a lot of justified nerfs and errata though rather than cutting out weeds, they torched the entire garden with a flamethrower.
All in all, Paizo can do much, MUCH better and I know for a Fact that they have had the time to release a full Faq/Errata document on it's release day. People of the wastes containts a multitude of options for an otherwise rarely visited area of Golarion. One thing that bothers me is that multiple options hinge on the mana wastes mutant template, whose pros far outstrip the cons, I believe however that all the options granted by this book are fair and reasonable. Tapping into clockwork cybernetics, primal magic and proximity to the gun capital of the world, People of the wastes is a perfect addition for people who want to make more oddball or even grimdark characters. This scenario is amazing on paper, I had the luck to play this with my own hellknight character and a great Gm/party. Tons of roleplaying, fair combat until the last encounter, oh god that thing is absurd.
Fair warning, do not play this scenario up unless you have a power-built party or a death wish. Otherwise a great roleplaying experience. When I first saw the summery, I was really excited and as a whole the book has validated my hopes but it has also dashed some of them in regard to society play. For home games, this book is great and has some nice creative uses for companions. The construct rider cannot pick anything but horses and other traditional quadrepeds as a mount, wich ruins my dream of a gnome with a power loader but that is beside the point. If you are looking for some unique oppertunities for your characters, look no further. |
